Rail motor-car.



L.F.GOODSPEED.

RAIL MOTOR GAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. F. GOODSPEED.

RAIL MOTOR GAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2, 1908.

INVENTOR' "DEB WITNESSES L. F. GOODSPEED.

RAIL MOTOR CAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2,1908.

1,002,834, Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

4 BHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES L. F. GOODSPEBD.

RAIL MOTOR UAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2,1908.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR view. of the valve seat for the above valve,

of the electric wiring circuits as employed UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LELAND F. GOODSPEED, 0F WILKTNSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA; ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST- IN GHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL MOTOR-CAR.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

Patented se eia, 1911.

Application filed March 2, 1908. Serial No. 418,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LELAND F. Goonsrnnn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Vvilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail Motor- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-propelled vehicles, and more particularly to cars of this character whichare adapted for operation upon railroad rails.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient means for controlling the propelling apparatus of the car, having great flexibility and adapted to be operated by means of fluid under pressure.

Another object is to'provide an improved means for starting the car propelling engine, wherein while the main propelling motor is running an auxiliary apparatus is thereby operated to store energy, and in starting the vehicle, said auxiliary apparatus is employed to start the engine to running.

Another object is toprovide, in general, an improved vehicle of the above character, wherein the propelling mechanism is compactly arranged outside of the car, so that practically the entire car interior is available for use.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a rail motor car embodying a preferred form of my improvements; Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view in'controlling the motor car; Fig. 2 a diagram showing the electric circuits in position 2 of the controller drum; Fig. 2 a diagram showing the electric circuits in position 8; Fig. 2 a diagram showing the electric circuits in positions 4 to 8 inclusive; Fig. 3 a front elevation of the controller'box for the motor car, showing the electric control drum and the valves for controlling the fluid under pressure for governing the operation of the car; Fig. 4 a top plan "iew of the controller, with the controller handles removed, showing the various operating positions thereof; Fig. 5 a face View of the rotary valve for controlling the fluid pressure for operating the main transmission clutch and the spark advance mechanism for the propelling engine; Fig. 6 a plan showing the arrangement of ports and cavities; Fig. 7 a face View of the rotary valve for controlling the fluid pressure for operating the reversing and speed changing mechanism of the motor car; and Fig. 8 a plan view 'of'the 'valve seat therefor, showing the location of the ports and cavities therein.

-The car illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings comprises car axles 1 and 2 on which thecar body A, shown in dotted lines, is mounted in the usual manner. The propelling, transmission and. speed changing apparatus comprises a main propelling motor, preferably a six cylinder internalcombustion engine 3, though said motor may be of any other desiredconstruc tion, a transmission and speed changing mechanism 4, a

driving shaft 5, for o eratively connecting the engine through sai mechanism 4: to the driving axle 2, and an auxiliary motor 8, preferably electric, and operatively connected to the main motor or-engine 3 by a shaft 6. a

The above apparatus is preferably mounted on a frame 7, which is independently mounted on the car axles 1 and 2 and is similar to the construction covered in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 118,734, filed March 2, 1908.

According to my present invention 1 provide means operated by fluid under pressure for controlling the car propelling apparatus, and for this purpose employ air cylinders and pistons as follows: The transmission and speed changing mechanism 4 is provided with an air cylinder 30, the piston of which is operatively connected to any desired form of transmission friction clutch, though I prefer to employ the construction as covered in my co-pending application. Ser. No. 418,732; said clutch being adapted to .operatively connect and disconnect the driving shaft 5 to and from the car axle 2. An air cylinder 4.2 contains-a piston which is operatively connected to a mechanism for changing the speed of the car relative to the driving shaft 5, which mechanism is also preferably of the construction covered in the above application. The piston in air cylinder 9 is operatively connected to a spark advance mechanism 0 of any desired construction. l'n order to run the car either forward or back, I employ means for reversing the direction of motion of the engine 3 consisting preferably of shiftable cam shafts and 51 for respectively controlling the admission and the exhaust valves of the engine 3. The cam shaft 50 is connected to a piston in an air cylinder 49, and the cam shaft 51 is also operatively connected to said piston by means of a lever 75 which is centrally pivoted, so that the shafts 50 and 51 move in relatively opposite directions. The air cylinder 49-is also employed to operate a pole changer 61, connected to the shaft 51 and adapted to change the polarity of the auxiliary motor 8, according to the direction of rotation of the engine.

At each end of the car I provide controllers 12 each having an electric contact drum 16 mounted on an operating shaft 17, as shown in Fig. 3, and secured to the lower end of the shaft is a rotary valve 11, which is contained in a valve casing 15. An additional rotary valve 19 is also provided which is mounted in a casing 20 at the bottom of the controller 12 and is secured to an operating shaft 18 The outer ends of the operating shafts 17 and 18 are provided respectively with operating handles 76 and 77,

as shown in Fig. 4.

The valve seat 21 for the rotary valve 11 is provided with a cavity 22 open to a port 23, which is in communication with pipe 39, leading to a suitable source of fluid pressure supply, such as the reservoir 40, an exhaust cavity 24, connected to the exhaust port 25, port 26, leading to pipe 27 and air cylinder 9, and port 28, communicating with pipe 29 and air cylinder 30. Rotary valve 11 is provided with cavities 31 and 32 and a passage 33 having port openings 34 and 35 in the face of said valve.

The valve seat 36, for the rotary valve 19, is provided with exhaust port 87, air supply port 88, communicating with supply pipe 39 and reservoir 40, port 41, connected by pipe 43 to one side of air cylinder 42, port 44, communicating with pipe 45 and the opposite side of air cylinder 42, port 47, connected by pipe 48 to one side of air cylinder 49, port 53, connected by pipe 52 with-the opposite side of said cylinder 49. Rotary valve 19 is provided with cavities 54, 55 and 56, the cavities 55 and 56 being connected by a passage 57.

The storage reservoir 40 may be supplied with compressed air in any convenient manner, but preferably I employ an air pump 58, which is operatively connected to the shaft 5' of the transmission and change gear mechanism and preferably constructed as shown in my co-pending application, Ser- No. 418,732, filed March 2, 1908, as hereinbefore mentioned. The pump 58 is provided with a supply pipe 59, having a nonretu'rn check valve 60 and opening into the storage reservoir 40.

The electric circuit connections are illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the field coils F and F of the motor generator 8 are connected to the armature A, the pole changing device 61 heretofore referred to, being adapted to connect in one position the terminal B with terminal A and terminal S with terminal A and in the opposite position terminal B? with A and terminal S with A B and B represent secondary or storage batteries having one terminal of each connected to a terminal of the field coils F and F and preferably with the circuit Wires therebetween leading to a hand switch S at each end of the car. 62 represents the spark producing mechanism for the propelling engine 3, and is electrically connected to a portion of the. cells of the storage battery B preferably through acircuit leading to each end of the car and provided with hand switches S for manually controlling the spark circuit when desired. Contact fingers a to h inclusive are electrically connected respectively to field resistance FR, field coil F spark device 62, storage battery B storage battery B storage battery B storage battery B and field coil F The contact drum 16 is provided with contacts as, yand 2.

Referring now to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the main controller handle 7 6 has eight operative positions and the handle 77 has four positions, and the eight positions correspond with the-positions numbered 1 to. inclusive on the developed drum in Fig. 2. In the positionmarked Off of the handle 76, the controller circuits are all open and the rotary valve 11 is on lap. In the second or starting position contact y connects fingers 0 and 6 so that the circuit for the spark producing mechanism is closed. as shown in Fig. 2, and it will be noted that this circuit remains closed throughout the movement of the controller to the remaining positions. A terminal of each battery B and B is connected to the armature termi nal of field coil F and the other terminals of the batteries are connected to the armature terminal of field coil F so that the batteries are now in parallel with the motor generator 8 and. if charged. supply current to actuate said motor, which in turn starts the engine 3 to rotating through the shaft 6. In the starting position the rotary valve 1.1 is in a position in which cavity 31 connects port 28 leading to pipe 29 and the transmission clutch cylinder 30 with orhaust cavity 24. so that there is no pressure on the clutch. and cavities and 35 and passage connect port 26. leading to pipe 27 and spark advance cylinder 9 with exhaust cavity 24. so that the spark advance mechanism remains in the retarded position. In the third or slow position of the main controller handle 76. all electric circuits except the spark circuit are open as thefield resistance FR in circuit with the field coils F and F ,as shown in position 4= and in diagram Fig. 2, while one; terminal of battery 13 is connected withf one terminal of battery B thus putting the batteries in series relation with the" motor; generator- 8. In this position and the sue-- ceeding positions, the motor generator 8 is' port 26 with the exhaust, so that said connections are the same as in the starting;

position. Inthe next or 9 speed position, thedrum contacts of the cont-roller connect of Fi 9 thus run as'a generator by theengine 3, and the current produced-sis charged into the storage batteries B and B for future use. In the speed position of the rotary valve 11, the cavity 31 therein still connects the main clutch port 28 with the exhaust cavity 24. Cavity 32 is now in a position connecting cavity 22, leading to air supply port 23, with the port 26, so that air is admitted to pipe 27 and air cylinder 9, thus forcing the piston in said cylinder outwardly and operating the spark mechanism to advance the time of the spark for the engine 3. The engine thus works up to full speed, and in order to make connection for the purpose of propelling. thevehicle or car the main controller handle is shifted to the seventh or slow application position. In this position,'t-he electric circuits are the same as described. in the fourth position, but the rotar'y' .valve 11 is turned to a position in which. the air supply cavity 22 is connected through port 34, passage 33 and the restricted cavity extension 63 of port 35 with port 28, so that fluid under pressure is gradually admitted to the main clutch air cylinder 30 by way of thepipe 29. The operating piston in said cylinder 30 is thus pressed outwardly and causes a certain amount'of pressure to be exerted on the main clutch, so that the friction members thereof take hold to gradually start the vehicle car axle2 into rotation. If it is desired to maintain this degree of pressure'on the friction clutch, the controller handle may be moved to the lap or sixth position, when the desired amount of air has been admitted to theclutch cylinder 30. In this position, the main clutch port 28' being lapped, the fluid pressure in the cylinder 30 is held. The pressure may be further increased if desired, by again moving the controller handle to the slow application The rotary valve 19 is employed to control the engine reversing and; the speed changing gears and has four operating positions to which it may be moved by means of the handle 77. In the off position all ports are lapped. In the forward low gear position cavity 54 in the rotary valve 19 connects .port'44, leading to pipe 45 and the low gear side of air cylinder 42, with air supply port 38, so that the piston therein is shifted to its low gear position, and as cavity 54 connects supply port 38 with port 47, pipe 48 and one end of cylinder 49, the engine reversing piston is shifted to forward position if not already in that position, so that the engine will rotate in thedirection for running forward the opposite side of said piston being open to the exhaust through pipe 52, port 53 and cavity 55 to the exhaust port 37. It will be understood that, as forward with respect to one end of the car is backward with reference to the opposite end of the car, the respective ports 47 and 53 at one end of the car must e connected to pipes 52 and 48, or in other words, the connections above described are reversed. In this position, the port 41 lead-- ing to pipe 43 and the high gear side of air cylinder 42 is connected through cavity 55 in the rotary valve 19 with exhaust port 37 In the forward direct position cavity 54 still connects air supply port 38 with forward port 47, but the low gear port-.44 is connected through port" 56, passage 57 and cavity with exhaust port 37, while port 41, leading to pipe 43 and the high gear side of the air cylinder 42, is connected by cavity 54 with supply port 38, so th at fluid iressure on the pistonin said'cylinder shifts the same and puts the direct or high gear 5 mechanism into mesh.

In the back low gear position the low gear port 44 is connected by cavity 54. with supply port 38 and the high gear port 41 is connected by cavity 55 with exhaust port "110 37. The forward port 47 is connected by port 56, passage 57 and cavity 55 with exhaust port 37, and the reverse or back port 53 is connected. tosupply port 38 by cavity 54, so that thecam shafts of the engine are fishifted and the engine caused to run in the direction to propel the'car backward. It

will also be noted that. whenever the position of the cam shafts is changed the pole changer 61 is operated so that the electric connections of the motor generator are properly adapted for the particular direction of motion of the engine.

I preferably provide interlocking mechanism for the controller which may comprise a pair of pivotally mounted arms 65, having a spring 66 tending to force said arms apart and provided with rollers 67 on the outer ends thereof for engagement with notches in the peripheries of disks 68 and 69, 1.30

Secured respectively to the operating shafts 17 and 18. With both shafts 17 and 18 in the off position, the rollers 67 enter into shaft 18 and rotary valve 19 so as to connect up either the low or high gear and also set the enginevalves either for the reverse or forward running of the engine, before any movement of the main handle 76 can be efiected.

All of the notches of "the main disk 68 are shallow except the one for the oif position, while all the notches of the disk 69 are deep except the one for the off position, so that as the reverse or back notch is disposed on one side of the. shallow ofi' position notch and the forward notches are on the opposite side thereof, it will be seen that when the main controller handle occupies any position except oif'position, the reverse and change gear handle 7 7 cannot be moved from position for running in one direction to a position for. running in the reverse direction, consequently said main handle must be returned to off position before the engine can be reversed.

In starting, it is desirable to have the low gear mechanism in mesh, and in order to insure that the reverse and change gear handle will be in that position, I provide on each shaft 17 and 18, and secured thereto, arms 70 and 71respectively. Said arms are so positioned that if the reverse and change gear handle is in the direct or high gear po sition, the arm 71 will be in the path of the arm 70 as it rotates with the main controller handle in returning to off position, and consequently said arm 70 engages the arm 71, thereby turning the shaft 18 to the forward low gear position. Thus the reverse and change gear handle and rotary valve are always in low gear position at starting.

Having now described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine for propelling the vehicle and provided with means for regulating the power of the engine, of a fluid pressure controlled device for operating said means and a manually operated valve mechanism for supplying and releasing fluid under pressure to and from said fluid pressure controlled device.

2. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an engine for propelling the vehicle and starting mechanism for said engine, of fluid pressure controlled means for governing the operation of said starting mechanism.

3. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, of mechanism for reversing the running direction of said engine and fluid pressure controlled means for operating said reversing mechanism.

4. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine and a spark advance mechanism therefor, of means adapted to be operated by fluid under pressure for actuating said spark advance mechanism, and a manually operated valve means for admitting and releasing fluid under pressure to and from said means.

5. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, a spark advance mechanism therefor, and means for reversing said engine, of fluid pressure operated means for controlling said spark advance mechanism and said engine reversing means.

6. In a self propelled vehicle, thecombi nation with an internal combustion engine, a spark advance mechanism therefor, and means for reversing said engine, of fluid pressure opera-ted means for controlling said spark advance mechanism and said engine reversing means, and a manually operated valve for admitting and releasing fluid under pressure to and from said controlling means.

7. In a motor car, the combination with a propelling motor for the car, means for regulating the power of the motor and a clutch for transmitting power from said motor to the car, of fluid pressure operated means for controlling the operation of said power regulator and clutch, and a manually operated valve for admitting and releasing fluid under pressure to and from said controlling means.

8. In a motor car, the combination with a propelling motor for the car, a transmission clutch therefor, and a speed changing mechanism for varying the speed of the vehicle,

of fluid pressure operated means for controlling said clutch, the speed changing mechanism and the operation of the-motor, and a manually operated valve for admitting and releasing fluid under pressure to and from said controlling means.

9. In a selfpropelled vehicle, the combination with an internal coi'nbustion engine, of means for shifting the admission and exhaust valves of said engine to effect the rotation of the engine in either direction and fluid pressure controlled means for operating said shifting means.

10. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine for propelling the car, and means for causing the engine to run in either direction of rotation, of an auxiliary electric motor for starting said engine to running, and means for changing the circuit connections to cause the motor torotate in the same direction as the engine;

11. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine for propelling the car, and means for causing the engine to run in either direction of rotation, of an auxiliary electricmotor for starting said engine to running,and a pole changing device. operating withsaid means for changing the direction of rotation of,

saidengine, for controlling the motor circuits to cause the motor torotate in the same direction as the engine.

12. In a motor car, the combination with a main propelling motor, and'a reversing mechanism therefor, of an auxiliary motor for starting the main motor to running, and means operated by said reversing mechanism for changing the direction of rotation of said auxiliary motor to correspond with thatof the main motor.

13. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine "for.. .propelling the vehicle, and an engine 15. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with a propelling engine for the vehicle and reversing mechanism for changing the running direction of movement of said engine, of a controller comprising a main operating handle and means operated thereby for governin the action of the engine, a second operating handle and means operated thereby for govermng sa1d reversing mechanism, and means-for preventing movement of the main handle while saidsecond handle is in its off position.

16. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with a propelling engine for the vehicle and reversing mechanism for changing the running direction of movement of sa1d engine,-of a controller comprlsmg a maifnoperating handle and means operated thereby for governing the actlon of the engine, a second operating handle and means 66 operated thereby for governing said reversofi? position.

19. In a self propelledvehicle, the coming mechanism, and av locking device for prevent ng movement of the main handle with sa1d second handle in off position.

17 In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with a propelling engine for the vehicle and reversing mechanism for changing the running direction of movement of sa1d engine, of a controller comprising a mainoperating handle and means operated thereby for governing the action. of the engine, asecond operating handle'and ea'ns operated thereby for governing'said reversing mechanism, and means for preventing movementof said second handle from a po s 1t1o n.-for running the engine in one direction to a position for running the engine in the opposite direction while the main handle is in aposition other than its off position.

18. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with a propelling engine for the vehicle and reversing mechanism forchanging the runnin direction of movement of sa1d engine,'o a controller comprising a main operating handle and means operated thereby for governing the action of the engine, a second operating handle and means operated thereby for governing said reversing mechanism, and a locking device for preventing movement of said second handle from a position for runnin the engine in one direction to a position for running the engine in the opposite direction whilethe main handle is in a position other than. its

bination with a'propelling 'enginefor the vehicle and mechanism for changing the running speed of said vehicle, of a controller comprising a main handle and means operated thereby for governing the engine, a second handle and means operated thereby for governing said speed changing mechanism, and means for returning sa1d second handle from one speed position to another upon movement of the main handle to off position.

20; In a selfjpro'pelled vehicle, thecombination with a propelling engine for the vehicle and mechanism for changing the running speed of said vehicle, of a controller comprising a main handle and means 'operated thereby for governing the engine,

a second handle and means operated thereby for governing said speed changing mechanism, and means for returnin said second handle from ahi'gh speed position to a low speed position u on movement of the main handle to its 0 position.

21. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with a propellin engine for .the vehicle and mechanism or chan 'ng the running speed of said vehicle, 0 a controller comprising a main handle and means operated thereby for governing the engine, a second handle and means operated thereby for governing said speed changing mechanism, and means operated by the main hendle in returning to ofi? position for shifting said second handle from a high speed to a low speed position.

22. In a self propelled vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine, of an electric motor-generator, a controller having contacts for controlling the motor-generator circuits, and fluid pressure controlling means operated by said controller for governing the operation of the engine.

23. In a self propelled vehicle the combination With an internal combustion enmousse gine, of an electric motor-generator, a controller having contacts for controlling the motor-generator circuits, fluid pressure operated mechanism for governing the operation of the engine, and valve means operated by the movement of the controller for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my han.

LELAND F. GOOD SPEED.

Witnesses R. F. EMER'I, EDITH B. MACDONALD. 

